You do not need a special diet just because you are
pregnant but you should eat healthily as your body has to
work especially hard during pregnancy. It is now known that
what you eat can have a far-reaching effect on your baby's
health. You should therefore make sure that you have a
well-balanced, varied diet and that you eat regularly and
often. In the last three months of your pregnancy, aim to
increase your daily calorie intake by about 200 calories -
the equivalent of a banana and a glass of milk.

It is a good idea to be realistic in your dietary aims
and eat what you actually enjoy, because it is likely that
if you restrict yourself to an artificial (and possibly
unappealing) diet, you will be more tempted to go on an
eating binge and put on unwanted pounds. Just make sure
that you are getting the basic nutrients in your core
diet.

Try to cut out very fatty foods such as the fat and
crackling on pork, fried bacon, and cream sauces. These are
likely to make you feel nauseous in the first three months
as well as contribute to weight gain. Look out for the fat
in convenience foods like biscuits, pastries and cakes.
Avoid certain foods that carry the risk of infection and
damage to your baby. Look at the guidelines for healthy eating for
more information

As your blood volume increases, you need to increase
your fluid intake. Drink water rather than high-calorie
fizzy drinks, which are full of sugar and can make nausea
and heartburn worse. Even if you have fluid retention, do
not cut your fluid intake; try to drink up to six glasses
of water each day. Drinking fluid can also prevent
constipation, a common problem in pregnancy.

Snacking in itself is not a bad thing but if you can,
you should try to snack on healthy foods. Fresh fruit,
nuts, raisins, and raw vegetables are all much better for
you than junk foods like crisps, chocolate, chips, and
doughnuts; these are high in calories, fats and sugars, and
salt, and although they may produce a fast energy high,
they do not contain many nutrients that will help your baby
to grow and develop. They may also contain artificial
colouring and additives. Of course, the occasional snack
now and then will not do you any harm, but snacks should'nt
play a large part in your diet.

Although not as bad for you as junk foods, fast foods
can still be high in fat and carbohydrates and, if they are
kept heated for long periods of time, many of the vitamins
and minerals in the food are destroyed. However, restaurant
meals such as freshly made pizza can be nutritious for you,
as long as you make sure that you maintain your basic core
diet.

Your weight is not important during pregnancy unless you
are very underweight or seriously overweight. What is more
important is the growth-rate of the baby; this does not
depend on your weight or how much you eat but rather on the
efficiency of the placenta and the quality of the food,
which supplies the appropriate nutrients. However, you will
feel happier if you gain the weight steadily and don't put
on large amounts. Click here for more
information on recommended weight gain figures in
pregnancy

No, it is not a good idea at all, because this is a time
when you should be eating a balanced and nutritious diet so
that your baby can get all the nutrients he or she needs
for healthy development. You will also need plenty of
energy to cope with the extra physical demands of pregnancy
and labour. Even though you might not want to put on any
weight, you will and you should if your pregnancy is going
well, and this is quite natural and essential.If you were
seriously over-weight before you became pregnant, you may
need to watch your diet. Your doctor or midwife will give
you more information on this.